Francis J. Putz, one of
the leading business men of Elkport, Iowa, is the junior
partner in the firm of Putz & Costigan. He well
deserves representation in this volume, for he is an
enterprising and public-spirited young man, and it is
with pleasure that we present to our readers this record
of his life.
He was born August 21, 1866, and is the son of John and
Margaret (Balluff) Putz. They are both natives of
Germany, and emigrated to the United States about 1848,
landing first in New York, where they remained two years.
John Putz, the father of our subject, was a Cooper by
trade in his native land and found employment at the
occupation in the city of New York. In 1850 he determined
to seek a home in the west, and with his family went to
Elkader, Iowa, where he again engaged in the cooper’s
trade. Soon after he bought a farm of eighty acres of
land and engaged in agricultural pursuits for three
years. He then sold out and came to Elkport, where he was
again engaged as a Cooper for some time. He then bought
two hundred acres of land in Elk Township, where he made
his home for fifteen years. He also has forty acres in
Volga Township. He is residing at present in Elkport, and
is the proprietor of a large cooper shop in that place.
He was born in Germany in 1827, and his wife is a native
of this same place, the year of her birth being 1836,
They are the parents of seven children: John, Mary,
Josie; Francis J., our subject; Henry, Agnes and Conrad.
Our subject received a common-school education. In the
home of his childhood, and at the age of twenty-one began
life for himself. He found employment as a clerk in a
dry-goods store in Elkport, where he remained two years.
At the end of that time he went into business for
himself, forming a partnership with Mr. Costigan. Since
embarking in the mercantile business he has met with
flattering success. He is a prominent business man of the
town, intelligent and enterprising, and is widely known
for his sterling integrity and upright dealings with
customers and employees.
October 1, 1889, occurred the marriage of Francis J. Putz
to Miss Ellen Heiberger. This estimable lady was born in
Dubuque County, Iowa, November 21, 1869. She is one of
nine children and of German descent, her parents having
been born in Germany.
Our subject and his wife are the happy parents of the
bright and interesting children: Laurette, Josie, and
Matilda. He will give them a thorough education as soon
as they become of suitable age.
Mr. And Mrs. Putz are worthy members of the Catholic
Church, are well respected and occupy a high position in
the social circles of Elkport. He is an advocate of the
principles of the Democratic Party. He is a genial,
popular gentleman, has a pleasant family, and is a model
and successful man of affairs, and has by strict
integrity and faithful attention to business won the
confidence of all who know him. He is now serving as
Township
Clerk.
~source: Portrait and Biographical Record
of Dubuque, Jones and Clayton Counties; Chicago: Chapman
Pub. Co., 1894; pg 444-445
~transcribed by Suzanne Terrell
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